Until Time Stands Still
by phoenixreal
Summary: New York city was a bigger city than Ichigo expected, and being a foreigner on a scholarship was tougher than he wanted to admit. He ends up befriending and becoming roommates with fellow student Peter Parker. They find their lives mesh, because neither one wants the other to discover their secret lives. Tony comes to speak at NYU, and Hydra attacks. YAOI Read Warn inside.
1. Twisted Strings of Fate

Author's Notes

From Beverly…With Love

This is a Crossover Fanfiction Novel. This story takes elements from several different Marvel canons. This takes place roughly a few months before Age of Ultron timeline. Agents of SHIELD is going on, but not the Netflix MCU series.

This is crossed with Ultimate Spiderman and the team from there. Luke Cage, Danny Rand, White Tiger, and Nova were on the helicarrier in accordance with that canon, and have since moved on after graduating high school. Peter Parker attends New York University and is 20 in this story.

The Bleach timeline is canon through Fullbringer Arc. Ichigo has been acting as a substitute Shinigami since then. Ichigo went to school in Tokyo, but was scouted by an American recruiter and given a full ride scholarship to New York University with a guaranteed residency. He is 21 in this story.

Synopsis

New York city was a bigger city than Ichigo expected, and being a foreigner on a scholarship was tougher than he wanted to admit. He ends up befriending and becoming roommates with fellow student Peter Parker. They find their lives mesh, because neither one wants the other to discover their secret lives. Then, Shinji shows up with a group from Soul Society, taking up space in their apartment. Peter is amused, especially since none of them realizes he understands Japanese. After overhearing a few conversations, he doesn't understand, he decides he should talk to someone about them, and he decides Tony Stark, his idol in tech manufacture would be a good choice.

Tony, taking a break from his duties on the Avengers to do something for Stark Industries, goes to do a talk at NYU about medical technology. Ichigo catches him before he leaves and asks some questions. A sudden attack by Hydra surprises, and knocks out, everyone in the room except Ichigo. He attempts to protect Tony, and everyone else, but is brought down before he can use his badge to get out of his body. He wakes up in what becomes a nightmare, not just for the Shinigami, but for Tony Stark as well.

Warning

This is a hardcore yaoi/slash fanfiction. This is rated MA. This contains explicit sexual content. This story includes humiliation, human experimentation, forced voyeurism, mental manipulation, forced bondage, sexual/physical/mental torture, and rape. This story also includes recovery, PTSD, graphic violence, and explicit sex between male characters. This story is not intended to be read by individuals under the age of 18.

Disclaimer

I do not claim ownership of any part of the Bleach universe or of the Bleach characters. Tite Kubo owns this amazing world; I am simply playing within it. Original elements do belong to me. There is no copyright infringement intended and I in no way make money from writing or posting this work of fanfiction.

Chapter One

Twisted Strings of Fate

New York University was a huge place, and Ichigo Kurosaki wasn't sure how to handle such an enormous school. New York itself was bigger than he expected. He did like that American Universities all had the summers off, so he could go home and visit his family for a bit. Still, he had two weeks before classes started, and he still needed to find a place to live. Everything had happened so fast, he hadn't been able to find something on campus, so he was stuck standing at the advertising board for roommates. He stared at ad after ad, and he was even m ore confused. Despite having a really good education in English, some of these postings…

"Hey man," a voice came from behind him. He turned and saw a guy about his height and age with messy brown hair and light brown eyes. "You look confused."

Ichigo sighed. " _Hai…_ " he muttered. "Sorry, yeah, I am. I'm not the best at English, and the way some of these are written, I don't get what they mean…" he frowned and pointed to one that just seemed like a jumble of English words. Was it English?

The other guy laughed. "Ah, name's Peter Parker," he said and extended a hand.

"Um, Kurosaki Ichigo," Ichigo responded then realized that was backward. "I'm sorry, uh, Ichigo Kurosaki. I've only been in America for a couple weeks; I'm still getting used to the customs."

"You're looking for a place to live in New York two weeks before school starts? Are you a masochist?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, I didn't expect things to be so difficult," Ichigo muttered, running a hand through his orangy red hair.

The truth was, his father had wanted to wait until the last minute for him to go, and his sisters had cried. He had no idea why. He was already living in Tokyo, but he guessed he did get to see them on the weekends. This way, moving to America for school, it was going to be a pain. Not to mention with the whole alien invasion thing in New York. That had been a surprise to everyone. Luckily, it seemed Japan had missed a lot of the problems that America had with the inhumans that had surged in existence recently. Then again, Ichigo was okay with the existence of Fullbringers and Quincy, so a few other humans that had odd powers didn't bother him.

"You know," Peter said, holding up a flyer. "I was actually here to put this up. I mean, it would make my life easier to find a roommate quickly. I have a small apartment, but it has two bedrooms, and my previous roommate, well, my ex-girlfriend, moved out last week. I just can't afford it on my own, even with my job as a photographer for the Daily Bugle."

"Really?" Ichigo asked, smiling. "I mean, we just met…"

"And I was going to let some other stranger I've never met move in. So, you're ahead by that. At least I've met you," Peter said with a smirk.

"Okay," Ichigo said. "I'm going to trust you aren't a serial killer or something."

Peter laughed, and Ichigo thought it sounded a bit funny. "Ah, no, nothing like that," he seemed a bit uncomfortable. Ichigo wasn't afraid, though. What was a human supposed to do to him? It wasn't like he was a normal person. He smiled and walked with Parker.

Despite his initial worry, Ichigo found that Peter was a good guy. He found that he'd broken up recently with his longtime girlfriend over what he called silly things. By that weekend, Ichigo had gotten all of his belongings moved from the hotel he'd been staying at into the place. He smiled as he looked around.

"Sorry it's so small," Peter said as he leaned against the doorframe.

Ichigo looked at him. "Small? This is bigger than my bedroom at home," he commented. "I'm impressed by the amount of extra space…"

"Yeah, Japanese houses use all the space, don't they?" Peter said just as the doorbell rang. He frowned and looked behind him. "Who is that?" he muttered and left.

Ichigo started putting away his clothes and was in the middle of changing into a yukata for the evening when the door behind him was yanked open. He turned, staring wide eyed at a guy that was standing in the doorway now. He had short dark hair and piercing green eyes and then a taller guy with dark skin came up behind him and grabbed him by the hair.

"Jeeze, Sam! Don't just barge in on the guy!"

Ichigo thought the bigger guy had to be as big as Chad. He swallowed. "Ah, um, hi?" he said as he pulled the yukata closed and tied it.

"Pete said he got a new roomie, so I wanted to say hi!" Sam, apparently said.

"I'm sorry for him, he's an idiot, I'm Luke," the dark-skinned guy said. Ichigo nodded and stepped toward them.

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, pleased to meet you," he said with a slight bow.

"Guys, leave him be," he heard Peter from the front.

"It's okay," Ichigo said, smiling. "I'll come out, I was finished putting away my things anyway."

Sam and Luke turned and headed into the living room, and Ichigo followed them. There were another pair of new people, a woman with deep a deeper skin tone than he himself had, and a pale blonde guy. Peter was standing near the sofa with his hand on his head.

"Ichi, sorry man. These guys just showed up. I told them that you were moving in this weekend, and as you can see, Sam has no concept of privacy," Peter explained.

"Ah, no problem. I'm sure eventually one of my friends will show up," he mused. He was wondering who would randomly appear at the door, Renji, Rukia, or someone else?

"From Japan?" asked Peter.

Ichigo smirked. "Some of them travel a lot."

A second passed and Ichigo felt a wave of reiatsu hit him. He turned and went to the window, looking out into the street. He spotted a hollow making it's way down the street. He reached a hand into his pocket and fingered the badge for a second. Should he?

"Ichigo?" he heard, turning away from the hollow and looking to see Peter looking at him concerned. "You okay?"

He looked back out the window to see a black form slice the huge hollow down the middle. He smiled. Well, at least they were quick around here… "Ah, no, just heard something I thought," he said and turned back to them.

Peter seemed to be suspicious. He was going to have to be careful, this guy was observant. He smiled, though. "Sorry, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki," he said, glancing at the girl and the blond guy.

"Ah, yeah," Peter said as he pointed. "Luke Cage, who you met, and the idiot is Sam Alexander. That's Danny Rand, and Ava Ayala. We all went to high school together, and now everyone goes to different schools here in New York. Guys, Ichigo is in the med program, he's doing the pulmonology thing."

"What's with the dress?" Sam asked, tilting his head to the side.

Ichigo blinked, glancing down at the deep blue yukata he was wearing. "My yukata?" he asked.

"It is not a dress," Danny said. "It is a Japanese casual dress, usually worn at home or for casual festivals."

Smirking, Ichigo nodded. "Ah, yeah. I didn't have the money to bring a lot of clothes with me, and I usually wear these when I'm away from home. My father gave it to me before I left."

"Whoa, that's cool, I want one!" Sam said and started pulling at the edges of Ichigo's Yukata, messing with it. "Look, it has this cool tie and…" Ichigo realized too late he was going to pull on the knot in the obi.

"Ah," Ichigo gasped as the obi fell and it fell open. He grabbed it, glad he was at least wearing boxer shorts under it, and wrapped it back. He heard something tap into the floor and before he could say anything, Peter picked up the badge and handed it to him. Peter could see his badge? He was going to have to be even more careful…

"Oh, sorry," Sam said and picked up the obi. "I didn't realize it was actually like tied."

Ichigo took it and felt a slight heat to his cheeks because they were all staring at him. "N-no problem. Just an accident. Um, if I find a place that sells them I'll tell you, alright? I'm sure they have somewhere here that sells them."

Peter grabbed Sam by the shoulders and pushed him toward the living room. "Go on, leave him alone. He's been in the country for like a week, and you're already causing him problems."

"It…it's fine. I have a pair of twin sisters back home," Ichigo said, wrapping the obi and tying it with deft fingers. "I am used to having interruptions and things."

The ended up having dinner together and Ichigo found he enjoyed their company. He was still getting used to American food, but he thought it was interesting. He didn't have as much inclination for meat as they did, it seemed. They discussed mundane things about their schools, and Ichigo found out a few different things.

Over the next two weeks before school started, he got used to being around Peter and his friends. It was kind of nice having new friends. He got stuck here and there on English words and phrases, but overall, it seemed that he did pretty well with the language.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

"Your new roomie is interesting," Danny said with a frown. "Something about him. I sense something."

"Like a power?" Peter asked as he sipped the soda.

Peter had gone out with the group since it was the last Sunday before school started. They had invited Ichigo, but he declined, saying he wanted to take the day to look over the books for his classes.

Danny shook his head. "I don't know what it is."

Luke spoke up from beside them as they all sat down for lunch. "Have you ever seen him work out or anything?"

Peter shook his head. "No, not really, why?"

"You didn't notice that he's cut? Like no one has a body that well built without working at it," Sam said, picking up on Luke's thinking.

"I do."

"Yeah, you do. And you're a superhero who got that way from a spider bit," Luke explained.

Peter frowned. "I guess I didn't think of it. He doesn't really do much, like he stays in his room at night, which works because then he won't catch me sneaking out to do Spider-man things…" Peter sipped his drink thoughtfully. "You don't think he's an inhuman or a gifted person do you?"

When Ava looked at him, Peter knew she was serious. "I mean, look at us? Did you tell him what you do?"

"I can't ask anyone anymore, not after all those lists of gifted people were snatched. There's no record left," Peter said with a frown.

After a movie, Peter headed home to find Ichigo was curled into the corner of the sofa reading one of his textbooks. "You know, all study and no play means you won't find a hot American girlfriend."

Ichigo looked up from the book. "Yeah, not my thing anyway, so that's fine."

Flopping into the sofa, Peter picked up the remote. "Well, you won't find a boyfriend either, so no matter what your preference is, you can't study all the time."

Peter noted that his cheeks colored a bit, and he congratulated himself. That was a tough spot, he thought. Ichigo shook his head. "Ah, I certainly didn't come to the US for romance," he muttered, but didn't deny it either.

"Well," Peter started as he turned on the TV. "Let's watch something, and you know, if you ever want some companionship, tell me what you're looking for. I can be a matchmaker!"

As he shut the book, Ichigo sighed. "Um, sure, I'll let you know."

Halfway through the show, Ichigo's phone rang. He picked it up and answered it. Peter paused the show and grabbed his own phone. He thought about leaving but as soon as Ichigo picked up he spoke in Japanese. For a second, Peter thought about the fact that he knew how to understand Japanese perfectly well, thanks to Tony Stark's advice about it being a language anyone in the tech field needs to know. Was it being dishonest if he didn't tell him? Probably. He sighed, thinking he'd let him know when he hung up.

"Pop, how are you? Oh, fine. I found a place. Yeah, I will email you the address. What? Where did he come from? Why is he looking for me? No!" Ichigo looked somewhat flustered. "I'll split his chest open the other way if he shows up here." Peter's ear perked. That was odd. "I'm serious, you tell Urahara-san not to give him a Gigai. What? He already did? Why is he coming to bother me? I'll kick his ass again. Yeah, well, I don't forgive an opponent that skewers my damn hands into the ground!" There was a pause and Ichigo exhaled. "Whatever, if he shows up I'll kick him out. Who? Why is he coming to America? Yeah…" Another long pause. "I see. Because of all the death, there are too many souls left to wander. Should I help?"

Ichigo turned to look at Peter quickly before he looked away. "I think I can leave without a problem. No, don't you dare send them with a brain washing thing! I'll be careful, I don't want anyone's brain scrambled because of me. I don't care how safe they are." He grumbled. "No, it's fine. No one here speaks Japanese." Peter felt a flush of embarrassment as he stood up and walked toward the kitchen. He could still hear him, though. He couldn't _speak_ Japanese. Or read it. He just understood it.

"Eh, what? Baka. I don't want them to come crashing in my room again. I don't care how much…who? Shinji _and_ Kensei? Oi. How are Renji and Rukia? Have they come by?" Peter came back and sat down before he looked over at Ichigo.

"Ichi, I can go to my room if you want privacy?" he asked quietly.

"No, I'm almost done," Ichigo said in English. "It isn't anything important," he commented before switching back to Japanese.

"No, goat face, you aren't important. Now go on. I have class early. And if you see Grimmjow you tell him to stay the hell away from me or I'm going to put my sword through his throat this time!" A long pause. "Yeah, well, I don't care how much he's changed since he became the King of his little world. He's still destruction incarnate and if we fight again, things are going to go bad." Ichigo's face turned red suddenly. "Pop! Seriously!" He pulled the phone away and turned it off. He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Peter waited until he turned toward him. "Um, problems?"

"No, my father. He's overly enthusiastic."

"I'm not prying, but what kind of name is Grimmjow?" he asked as he turned the show back on.

"The name of an annoying idiotic bastard with blue hair that I'm gonna kill if he shows up here," he muttered.

Snorting, Peter shook his head. "Sounds like you're talking about an ex."

Ichigo glared at him. "He's going to be an ex alright, ex living…" he mumbled and sighed.

"It sounds like you like him," Peter said, knowing he was tempting fate.

"Not even close!" Ichigo said and crossed his arms over his chest. "He's not even human! All he cares about is training and fighting and I'm trying to finish school here."

Later that night, Ichigo came out of his room when Peter was in the kitchen. He had a picture frame in his hands. "Um, do you have a photo frame? This one got broken."

Peter came over and looked, seeing it was a group photo in a picture frame that had cracked glass and the wood part had broken. "Oh, are those your friends from your home?"

"Ah, yeah, this is Tatsuki," he pointed to a girl with short black hair. "And Orihime," he pointed to another girl with long lighter brown hair. "And this is Keigo, and Mizuiro. Mizuiro looks cute but he's a real lady's man," he said, pointing first to a brown-haired guy and then a boy with black hair. "And this is my other best friend Renji," he pointed to a guy with super bright red hair, and Rukia," he touched a short girl with black hair. "And Chad is my oldest friend," he brushed his finger to the tallest person, a guy with darker skin than the rest. "And then that's Uryū," he finished, tapping another black-haired guy, but this one had silver glasses. Ichigo himself was in the middle, arms around Renji's shoulders on one side of him, and around Tatsuki's on the other. "I guess it got broken in my suitcase. I don't like not having it displayed."

"Hmm," Peter said. "Let me check," he said and disappeared into his room. He looked around and saw he did have a photo of him and Gwen on the dresser. He nodded and took out the old photo and took Ichigo the frame, tucking the photo into a drawer. That was over. He didn't need to look at a time when they were happy together.

As he came back in, he saw Ichigo had taken the photo out of the frame and was looking at another one. "Who is that one?" Peter asked as he leaned over the counter beside him. Ichigo startled and looked at him.

"Oh, I keep this one behind the other. This one is my mom," he said, showing him a photo a pretty woman with long hair not much different in color form Ichigo's, only much longer.

"She's beautiful," Peter noted as he put the photos in the frame with a smile.

"She was. I wish she were still here," he said with a sigh.

"She's passed?" Peter asked, feeling a pang in his own heart.

Ichigo nodded. "I was nine. Was really my fault, you know? She died protecting me. But anyway, thank you," he said and ducked his head as he left.

Frowning, Peter was determined to understand this person. He was an enigma, but now he was even more sure he was something different than a normal human. He figured he'd see if he did anything unusual after bed tonight. At about nine, he knocked on Ichigo's door and told him good-night and then walked to his room. A few seconds later, he wall-crawled his way around the building to Ichigo's window, hiding behind the sill to listen. He peeked over it and gasped. There were two Ichigo's, only one was white.

"Go back, you bastard! I want to go see what the situation is with the hollows around here!" Ichigo snapped as he stared at the strange white version of himself. He reached for the white copy and the white version ducked. He was wearing a top that looked like Ichigo's yukata, and a pair of wide legged pants with a sword on his back.

"Nah, don' wanna, King. Unless yer gonna go get laid?" the white one said.

"Shiro!" Ichigo snapped. "Sex and violence is all you are! Now get back in here, I want to get out of my human body for little while, I haven't left if since I got here! I need to kill a hollow or two!"

"Now who's violent?" Shiro commented, circling Ichigo and slapping him on the ass.

"Dammit!" Ichigo snapped, face turning red. "You know, this exhausts me when you manifest!"

Shiro grinned again, licking his lips, and Peter saw his tongue was blue, and now he saw his eyes were black sclera with gold irises. That was demonic looking. Peter wasn't sure what to think.

"Alright, King, but I expect to have some fun. You seriously need to get fucked again," he said and rolled his eyes. "Seriously. You need a steady dude. I don' think tha' yer Pop would like knowin' how many times you frequented that bar."

"Fuck you, Shiro," Ichigo growled and grabbed the white copy around the neck.

Shiro giggled and disappeared, turning into vapor that went into Ichigo. He wobbled on his feet and then caught himself on the wall. "Dammit."

Peter watched as he slipped his hand into his jeans pocket and pulled out that plaque he'd seen before. He watched as he slammed his hand into it and stepped out of his body. He looked like the white version only he was wearing black. He reached his hands over his head and stretched. He glanced at the body. "Ah, shit," he muttered as he drug himself into the bed and covered the other body up. "Hope nothing happens…Peter would freak if he found me like that. I really don't want to wake up in a morgue…" he muttered. He sighed, turning toward the window.

With a quick scramble, Peter crawled up above the window as he stepped out of it and looked around. At the same time, Peter and Ichigo both turned their heads toward a sound Peter had never heard before. It was scream, but it sounded weird. He watched Ichigo smirk. "There we are," he said as he took off. It was faster than Peter could track, but he managed to follow the noise of the screaming creature.

He stopped, clinging to a building as Ichigo launched himself at the thing. Peter almost wanted to help, but in seconds, the thing exploded into…nothingness. Ichigo knelt panting on the road, and as Peter watched, people walked right past him, some almost stepping on him. He stood, and Peter could see he was hurt. Blood was running down from his left arm, having apparently injured it during the fight with that creature. Ichigo took off back to their apartment, and Peter followed, once more clinging to the side of the building and peeking through the window.

Ichigo had sat on the foot of the bed and stripped the black top off and was staring at his left shoulder. Peter could see what looked like teeth marks that ran down his upper arms. He snarled and shook his head. He stood and opened a drawer and pulled out a roll of gauze, wrapping his arm with it, seemingly not bothered by the blood still oozing from the wound. He put the jacket type coat on and then laid back on his body, fusing with it. After a second, he sat up and yelped. He put both hands on his mouth and Peter could see blood starting to ooze through the shoulder of his t-shirt he was wearing.

"Dammit," he muttered as he stood up again, stripping it off and grabbing the gauze again. After a few seconds, he sat down again. "That could have gone better. That's why I shouldn't have waited to go hunting," he said. He then laid on his right side and was asleep in a few minutes. Peter crawled back around and into his room. Sitting on his bed he couldn't decide what exactly to do now about this. What the hell had he just seen?

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

"You okay, Ichi?" Peter asked as they boarded the subway a few weeks later.

Ichigo nodded. He noticed that Peter asked almost every morning. He wished he wouldn't. Of course, he wasn't okay, last night he ended up nearly losing his damn leg to a massive hollow. He had wrapped it up as well as he could, but not having Hachi or Orihime around was beginning to be an issue. He never realized how reckless he actually was when he fought…

They got off the subway and headed toward campus when Ichigo heard a voice behind him.

"Yo, Kurosaki."

Ichigo spun around, books clutched to his chest and glared at someone he wasn't looking to see. Peter turned around and looked as well.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo growled under his breath. "What do you want? I told my father to stop Urahara from helping you."

"I came to see how my favorite redhead was," Grimmjow said as he sauntered toward Ichigo and Peter. He was wearing a Gigai, obviously. His hair was the same baby blue color, and his features were all the same except he didn't have his hollow hole or the mask fragment. He was wearing a tight t-shirt with some band logo and a pair of jeans. It appeared he'd found out about body modification and had gotten his ears pierced several times as well as a couple rings in his eyebrows.

"Leave." Ichigo said and turned away from him, starting to head off.

"Ah, don't be like that, Ichi-go," Grimmjow said and Ichigo realized he was speaking English just before Grimmjow snagged him by the arm and drug him backwards. "I came ta see ya after all. Was a long ass trip, too."

Peter was staring. "I am going to class, bastard," Ichigo said, yanking his arm away. "I'll fucking end you if you touch me again."

Grimmjow put both hands up defensively in front of him. "Sorry," he smirked. "Didn't mean to interfere. By all means, go have fun with your boyfriend."

Ichigo glared at Grimmjow. "He's my roommate you dumb ass. And what would it matter if he was that? You and I do not have that kind of relationship and never have. Go back where you came from."

Ichiog huffed and grabbed Peter by the arm and drug him toward the school.

"That was the guy? He's…a big guy…" Peter noted as he glanced over his shoulder to see Grimmjow waving with a smirk.

"Ignore him. I'll kill him if he tries anything," he muttered.

Peter pulled back, using more strength than Ichigo expected. He looked at him in surprise. "Look, that guy isn't going to let well enough alone. You shouldn't dismiss someone like that so easily, Ichigo. Someone like that is dangerous."

Ichigo wanted to tell him there was no way Grimmjow was a problem, but that was in a different world. "Look, he's a pain, but he's not underhanded. He wouldn't jump me or anything."

Peter nodded. "If you're sure," Peter said, still concerned.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

"Any new orders?" Daniel Brown said as he sat in class and stared at the board. He and his friend Jackson Carson were the only ones in the room yet.

"Nah, not yet. You know they said orders wouldn't come down until the time was right," Jackson said as he twirled his pencil.

Both looked up as one of their classmates came in and sat down toward the front. Daniel leaned over. "Isn't that that Japanese guy that started here as a junior?"

"Yeah, guess they recruited him, so he must be good to be pulled in this late."

Jackson got up with a smirk, shoving hands in his pockets and walked over to where he was looking at his notes.

"Hey," Jackson said, surprising him. "Your name was Ichigo, right?"

Ichigo looked up at him. "Ah, yeah. I'm sorry, I can't remember yours?"

"Jackson. I think ya turned down every chick in this classroom since you started. I don't know why, but they seem to like you a lot. So, that leaves me wonderin' if the reason is ya play for the other team," he said, brown eyes sparkling. He reached up and swept his long black hair out of his face.

Ichigo stared. "Ah, I just want to concentrate on my classwork. Not dating, alright?"

"Hmm, is that a fact," Jackson said as he stood up. "Alright then, but if ya change yer mind," he said and went to sit down by Daniel again.

"Well?" the blond of their pair asked.

"Definitely gay," Jackson smirked. "Just gonna take a little work."

Daniel shook his head. "I thought you weren't into Asian dudes."

"I'm into any dude that turns me down," he muttered as the teacher came up and started the lecture.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Ichigo wasn't sure about this as he stood outside the bar. At least he was old enough to drink in the US, and he'd called to see if his ID was okay even though it wasn't and United States issued driver's license or anything. He had dressed up a little, not much. He'd worn a pair of the low-rise jeans he'd brought with a pair of boots and a tighter than normal t-shirt. He was here to find someone after all. It was the weekend, and what his dad, or anyone really, didn't know about was that while he lived in Tokyo, that he frequented a bar and picked up one night stands pretty regularly. He didn't know when it started, this need that he had. He didn't want to tell anyone that he was like this. He just kept using the same excuse. He was just focusing on studies. It wasn't near the truth though. He didn't like girls, never had liked girls, and he couldn't change that no matter how Orihime kept trying. This place was called Gilded Lily. He thought it was somewhat cliché but at least it seemed legit from the reviews he'd read online.

The place was busy for a Friday night, and he quickly found himself the center of attention, more than usual. Granted, a Japanese guy in an American bar was bound to stick out. Several came and went, buying him drinks and he started to feel buzzed. He couldn't do this if he wasn't, though, never had been. After a few drinks, he blinked to find himself in the bathroom of the bar. When did that happen? He gasped to realize he was kneeling over the toilet with someone over him. He didn't remember it, not at all, but his body didn't care and reacted to everything. He couldn't remember agreeing to this at all, especially since he realized whoever this guy was he wasn't using a condom.

"The hell…" he muttered only to have his head jerked backward.

"What was that?" a rough, drunk voice growled in his ear. "Are you trying to get out of this before I bust my nut?"

"No…I just…you didn't wear…" he gasped as he slammed into him harder.

"So? You didn't care a few minutes ago?" the guy growled and Ichigo felt him finish, throwing his head forward as he did. "Don't tempt someone if ya don't intend to finish it, twink bitch." He turned and left, leaving Ichigo wincing as his head had hit the wall.

He gasped, turning and sitting, grabbing paper. It was gross, and he hated that… He didn't do it in bathrooms, or bareback. What the hell happened? He suddenly felt sick and threw up the second he got his clothes back up. He pulled his phone out to see it was after one in the morning. He managed to get out of the place without much thought. He figured he should hail a cab because he really wasn't feeling well. He stumbled into a post and thought maybe he should call Peter. How embarrassing, he thought to himself as he got the number dialed.

"Ichigo?" Peter answered on the second ring. Shouldn't he be asleep?

"Hey, can you pick me up somewhere? I don't feel so well, and there aren't any cabs. I might have left my card in the place and I don't wanna go back in," he muttered.

"Where are you?" Peter asked. Ichigo looked at the crosswalk and gave it to him. He was almost dozed off against the sign when he felt someone touch him. He blinked and looked to see it was Peter.

"Ah, Peter," he muttered.

"What are you doing here? And why do you smell…" Peter paused, not finishing the sentence.

"I wanted to go out, dunno, think I might have drank somethin' bad," he muttered as he put his hand over his mouth.

"Ichigo, did you get drugged?" Peter asked.

"Maybe," he said, almost falling asleep against the pole. If he hadn't been so out of it, he might have realized he was speaking Japanese, and even though Peter was answering in English, he understood him.

He started to slip into unconsciousness again and for some reason he dreamed of flying. It was weird, to be flying, but it wasn't like a Shunpo, it was like swinging. Things went black and he woke up with a gasp.

"Ichigo," Peter said from beside him. Ichigo rubbed his head and looked around him. "What…where am I?"

"I brought you to the hospital. You passed out, and I didn't know what to do. You got drugged at that place. I went back and got your debit card. The bartender said he saw some guy walk with you away from the bar but then he lost you. Do you remember what happened?" Peter asked, worried.

"Oh, um," he shook his head and there was a knock at the door. A uniformed police woman stood there with a policeman beside her.

"Mr. Kurosaki?" she said as she entered.

"Yeah," he muttered, rubbing his head. "Man, I have such a headache."

The woman sat down in a chair beside the bed. "I need a statement about what you remember last night. I took one from your friend, and the bartender, I just need one from you."

Ichigo frowned deeply. "Ah, I went to the bar, just thought I'd have a drink or two, maybe find a…" he paused. "Well, a hookup. I talked to a couple guys, had a couple drinks, then everything just goes blank for a while. I remember coming to in the bathroom…" He stopped, blinking. "This guy, he said I agreed to do it with him there, but that's wrong. I don't do that. I'll hookup with a guy, but not in a nasty bathroom," he murmured, rubbing his hands over his face. "Oh kami, he didn't have a condom. I remember that, it was gross…I…" he looked at her. "I left after he, got outside, but I wasn't thinking right, so I called Peter."

The officer took down notes and nodded. "Alright, well, you got drugged, Mr. Kurosaki. They've sent off for the STI screens for you, but you need to be aware that you can press charges. We identified him, and once the rape kit comes back, we'll match the DNA for sure."

Ichigo shook his head. "What's the point?" he shook his head. "No one would listen to it, drugs or no." He put a hand to his mouth. "Didn't the last time."

After the police left, Peter stood beside him. "The last time? Ichi, has this happened before?" he asked.

Ichigo shrugged. "You go to bars, you take the chance, especially when you're looking for the bottom position. Happens."

"You can't be serious? This isn't just something you can brush off!" Peter looked horrified at what he was saying. "That guy raped you. You have to press charges!"

Ichigo tilted his head and looked at him. "I was drunk to start with, at a gay bar, looking for a hookup. Even if I did try and press charges? What would anyone say? I was looking for it and that's what I got. There's no point, Peter." Ichigo picked at the cover. "A few days sore, and I'll be fine, that's all. It is nothing."

"I'll…I'll be back to pick you up at four, that's when they said you'll be discharged, okay?" Peter stammered. "You rest until then, okay?"

Peter left the hospital, already dialing a number. He didn't know what to do, but he knew he could ask someone with more experience than him with the whole situation.

"Hello, can you connect me with Tony Stark's private line. Yes, tell him it's Peter Parker."


	2. Unraveling Threads

Chapter Two

Unraveling Threads

"Peter," Tony's voice came over the phone.

Peter was walking toward a coffee shop as he spoke. "Mr. Stark," he began.

"Please, call me Tony. I'm helping you with that suit, remember? We know each other that well, kid," he said with a smile to his voice.

Pushing the door open, Peter was glad to see that the place was pretty empty. Even so, he headed to the counter, ordered a coffee, then went to the back corner. "Okay, Mr. Stark, I mean Tony," he said with a shake of his head as he sat in the seat.

"You caught me at a good time, I was just arranging for a talk at your school before Christmas. What's up? You don't usually call me directly," Tony said, and Peter could hear other voices. He must be at the tower with the Avengers.

He licked his lips. "I need some help and I didn't know who else to call. It's about my roommate."

"Gwen?" Tony asked.

"No, she moved out when we broke up," Peter said with a sigh. He guessed he hadn't talked to Tony since then.

"Broke up? When did this happen?"

Peter ground his teeth. "That doesn't matter, but it was stupid. I got a new roommate, and I just left him at the hospital after he got roofied and…and he won't press charges against the guy that did it. I just didn't know who else to call for advice."

Tony was quiet for a minute. "Um, I really don't know that I'm the one to talk to about this, I mean, if you friend doesn't want to press charges, you can't really do much about it…"

"But that's not the real problem. I mean, that's a problem and I am so angry because he said it's happened before, and he just is brushing off the fact someone did that to him, but I think he's got powers too. I've only known him for a couple months, Tony, what if he tries to do something since he doesn't think the police will help?"

"Powers?" Tony said. "What have you seen him do?" Peter heard the background noise lessen around Tony. He must have left to a more private room.

"Okay, this is gonna be weird. But when he moved in, Sam was being an idiot and knocked this badge thing out of his pocket. I picked it up and handed it to him. Ever since then, I'm seeing things like these big monsters with white faces. No one else seems to see them, and they just walk right through them. Except my roommate, Ichigo." Peter paused. "I was curious and watched him, and he left his body, Tony, and when he did, he was wearing these weird wide legged pants and a robe thing like this yukata he wears in the evening around the apartment. But not only that, he can be two people, like make a copy of himself that's totally white, like skin, clothes, everything, and he calls him Shiro, and this copy seems to have a different personality. But then it can go back into him," Peter was rambling out all the information and he was sure that it didn't make sense. Hell, it didn't make sense to him.

"Whoa, slow down," Tony said with a snicker. "Okay, so when he leaves his body can other people see him besides you?"

"Some people look, but most walk right past him without the second glance. And he can move super-fast, too. He has this sword that he swings and arcs of blue energy come out of it. I've never seen anything like it." Peter felt a bit better telling someone about it. Maybe he wasn't a raving lunatic.

Tony was quiet for a little while. "Alright, I really don't know that there's much that can be done, but you keep an eye on him. If something changes, call me right away, okay?" Tony told him.

"Sure thing, I will do just that," Peter said as he stood up from the coffee shop and left.

In Avengers Tower, Tony hung up the phone and frowned at it. He looked up as Steve came into the dining room. "What was that about?" Steve said as he put his dishes in the sink.

"Ah, Peter Parker. He has a new friend, guess he got into some trouble and won't press charges against the guy that assaulted him. Peter's worried about it," Tony commented, pocketing his cell. "I told him there's not much to do. Reporting rape isn't easy for a guy."

Tony turned to leave. "Wait, a guy?"

Tony looked at him with an arched brow. "That's what I said. His roommate got roofied in a bar, got attacked and now Peter's having trouble with the idea he won't file charges."

Walking away, Tony felt the stare. Of course, Capsicle would have an issue with that. He shook his head. He really annoyed him sometimes with his ways. "JARVIS, where's Thor?"

"Mr. Odinson is at street level retrieving food from the taco truck."

Tony sighed. Of course, he thought as he took the elevator down. He stepped out and saw the street clothes wearing Thor sitting on a bus bench chowing down on a few of the street tacos that the vendor sold. He smiled and went to sit by him.

"Hey Thunderbuns," he smirked at him.

"Anthony!" he said with a mouth full of food. "Hast thou ate of the truck of tacos?" he said.

"I have, he's got great food. I have a question for you, about magic stuff," Tony said, glancing around to see there was no one listening in on them.

Thor shoved another taco in his mouth. "I can try to answer," he stated, looking at him.

"Well, have you ever heard of someone who can leave their physical body?"

"Like astral projection?" Thor asked with a frown.

"Kind of, but in a way that they can interact with the world, and see things others don't," Tony responded, pausing to look up at the darkening sky.

"What brings this up?" Thor asked, finishing his last bit of food.

Tony paused. "Seems Peter Parker has this friend named Ichigo that seems to do that, and I was wondering if it was magic or something."

"That seems like something my brought could have…"

The black cat that had been listening sauntered down the road, losing the conversation. That oaf wouldn't understand anything about the situation, so why would he try? Peter Parker, huh? The cat's green eyes sparkled. This might be a chance to get another angle on the Avengers besides hanging around outside the tower as a pigeon or a cat… A few more steps took the cat behind a stack of boxes outside a shop, and when he emerged on the other side, he was a tall, dark haired man, still with the sparkling green eyes. He smirked, tucking the dark locks behind his ears. Time to see what this brat knew.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Peter pulled into the garage with Ichigo at around six. The doctor had tried to convince him to press charges, but Ichigo had just pointed out that it didn't matter. Peter was just glad that Danny had been able to lend him his car for a few days. He parked the car and glanced at Ichigo again.

"You're sure I can't take you to the police station?" he asked for about the fiftieth time.

Ichigo shook his head and smiled sadly at him. "I'm fine. No major injuries, and there's a lot that can't say that. Just…think of it as drunk, rough sex if you have to. That's what I do," he muttered as he got out of the car.

Peter sighed and got out, almost stepping on something. He knelt and gasped. "Hey, Ichigo, look! It's a kitten!"

Ichigo came around the other side. "Ah, poor thing, it looks starved," he said as he knelt beside Peter.

The kitten was small, no more than five pounds, and was looking at them with bright green eyes. It mewed insistently and then headbutted Peter's leg.

"He's friendly!" Peter said with a smile. "Ah, damn, I can't leave him here. He might get run over. I'm not supposed to have pets, but…"

"We can find someone to take him by Monday," Ichigo said, reaching down and scratching the kitten on the head. It rubbed against his leg.

Peter looked at Ichigo's face, and for a second, he saw the mask drop. The sadness and pain etched there was naked for a second before the mask returned. Just then, the kitten leaped up into Ichigo's arms. Ichigo caught him and smiled.

"Alirght, little guy, we'll take you inside."

Peter pulled his phone out as he walked and dialed Luke. "Luke!" he said as they got into the elevator.

"Yo, Pete, what's up?" he asked. "Was just about to go grab some food."

"Can you grab some kitten food and bring it to my place while you're out?" Peter asked as he scratched the kitten's head in the elevator.

"What?" Luke asked. "I thought you couldn't have pets?"

"Well, I found a kitten in the parking garage. I can't leave it there, Luke. Come on, help me out? I just got back with Ichigo and I don't want to go out again…" Peter left the unspoken words that he didn't want to leave Ichigo alone. In fact, he was going to try and make sure he didn't leave at all tonight.

Luke snorted. "Fine, I'll be over soon."

They got to their floor and to the apartment. Ichigo flopped onto the couch, but Peter didn't miss the slight grimace at the motion. He had grabbed the prescriptions that Ichigo had been given; Ichigo had threatened to leave without them. He supposed he couldn't make him go to the police, but he could try and get him to take the antibiotics and pain pills they gave him.

"I'll get a dish of water for him," Peter said as he went around the breakfast bar into the kitchen.

He did get a bowl but also a glass. He unpackaged the medicines and put them out. He'd also been given a cream but had looked at the doctor like he had two heads when he asked him to use it for a few days. He shook out one of each of the two pills and took the water glass and bowl into the living room. He paused. Ichigo was so focused on the kitten that nothing else seemed to matter. He would pick it up and then nuzzle into the little belly. Then he'd put it down and rub it's head and belly.

"You're good with cats," Peter said with a smirk as he came and sat down.

"Yeah, my friend Chad, he loves cute things. I think he's going to be a crazy cat lady before long. Last I saw, he had collected five kittens, three hamsters, and a chicken." Ichigo smiled at the thoughts. "No idea why a chicken, but you know."

"He's the really tall one in the picture, yeah?" Peter said.

"Yeah," he said with a smirk.

There was a loud knock at the door, so Peter handed Ichigo the water glass and the pills. He looked at him.

"Nah, no arguments. You may refuse everything else but take the medicine for me. Please."

Ichigo rolled his eyes but took both of them with a sigh. "What…"

Peter had walked to the door and opened it, staring with surprise because he expected Luke. It wasn't Luke.

"Ichigo!" came a voice and Ichigo's head snapped up.

"Shinji?" he exclaimed as the lanky leader of the Vizard came into the room with hands stuffed in his pants pockets. "Why are you here? Wait, you didn't bring them all!"

Peter stepped to the side as Rose, Kensei, and Lisa followed him into the room. "Nah, just four of us. For now. The rest are going to come tomorrow. We've got business here, y'know. So we're crashing in your room."

Ichigo stood up with the kitten clutched to his chest. "No, you look here, you can't just barge in and…" he started. Shinji smirked. "I heard a certain blue haired fellow came after ya. Ya know he's a smitten."

Ichigo's face turned red. "Shinji, I told him to buzz off, and now you bunch…"

Lisa put an arm around his shoulders. "If you have sex with Grimmjow-sama, can I watch?"

Ichigo put his hand on his forehead. "I'm not living here along, you know?"

Rose had sat down on the sofa and was looking through channels while Kensei had gone to the kitchen. "Why do you people have to just show up and take over my life!" Ichigo snapped.

Lisa kissed his cheek. "Well, I wanna see you and Grimmjow-sama fucking. That's why I'm here."

"Who'd let you watch?" Ichigo snarled.

"You let me watch when you and Shinji did it," she muttered as she went to sit by Rose.

Ichigo, of course, didn't know yet that Peter could understand everything they were saying. He petted the cat and turned on his heels and headed into his room to get away from everyone. Of course, Shinji followed him. Peter frowned and moved close enough that he could listen.

Shinji stood in the door as Ichigo flopped on the bed. "What's wrong?" he asked in a different tone.

"Nothing," Ichigo sighed and flopped on his back.

Shinji went into the room and sat down by his feet. "Come on, ya think I'm stupid. Ya got that look. The one that ya had last time."

"Some things never change. I wish…I wish I could just be normal," Ichigo muttered as the kitten went and curled by his head. "I can't be normal, no. First I'm a stupid shinigami. Then I'm stuck with a stupid Zanpakutou spirit that learned how to manifest on own. Then I'm fucking gay on top of it. Why the hell can't I be normal?"

Ichigo threw his arm over his face. Shinji leaned over and kissed his forearm. Ichigo moved his arm and looked at him. "You know, it was wrong of me, when we slept together. I'm older by a few hundred years, so…."

"Don't start that. I wanted to do it. It was the only time I cared about the person I slept with," Ichigo sighed.

"Why didn't it work, then?" Shinji said as he brushed Ichigo's hair off his forehead. "I told ya, we coulda tried. I didn't mind the absences. I can walk between Soul Society and here anytime I want, and ya know it. I'm not a captain for nothing now."

Ichigo shook his head. "I…can't be that for you. I don't know. Maybe I'm afraid of being happy, and that's why I look for comfort with strangers," he muttered.

Shinji's fingers traced down Ichigo's jaw and slipped across his lips. Ichigo stared at him. "Ya know, I'm here now. You know Lisa-kun is teasing about wanting to watch you sleep with someone. Well, I mean, she's not, but it isn't like we have to let her."

Ichigo closed his eyes, feeling the sensation of Shinji's fingers tracing his lips but when Shinji moved to slide his other hand down his thigh, the clawing sensation hit. His eyes flew open and he sat up, shaking his head. "No, I can't, not right now."

Shinji frowned, leaning toward him. "It happened again, didn't it?"

Ichigo looked up at him and shook his head. "It wasn't…I didn't…"

"Did you get drugged again?" Shinji sighed, moving to sit cross legged on the bed and facing him.

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, but it doesn't matter, even if I don't remember saying yes, I got what I went for, you know?" he muttered. "Would have rather been a hotel room, and a little less violent, but still. I went looking, and I got what I was looking for."

Shinji put an arm around his back. "Ichigo, you need to stop doing these one-night stands like this, and going to those bars. The last time you got beaten so bad that Hachi had to heal you. Do you need him to heal you this time?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No, it wasn't that bad, just bumped my head on the tile, and sore. The doctors freaked out over nothing."

"I'll have Hachi see to you," Shinji said with a sigh. "What do I do with you? All those hormones at your age…maybe you should give Grimmjow a chance…"

"Don't be stupid," Ichigo growled. "That hollow bastard? What the hell did Getabishi give him Gigai for anyway?"

Shinji smirked as they both heard the doorbell again. Ichigo leaned over and picked up the kitten. "That's Peter's friend Luke, I'm so stupid, I didn't even introduce you to him," Ichigo got up and headed back out in time to Luke come in and stare at the three people spread out on the sofa watching some American sitcom.

"Ah, Peter, I'm sorry. Uh, these are some friends of mine, Shinji, that's Lisa, the one with the long hair is Rose, and the other is Kensei. Guys, this is Peter, my new roommate, and his friend Luke," Ichigo said as he walked toward where Luke was holding a small bag of kitten food and a small little kit.

"Ah, nice to meet you all," Luke said, and looked at Peter. Peter shrugged and took the food. "Here, let's put the water and food in the kitchen for the little guy."

Ichigo followed Luke and Peter into the kitchen. "Um, I'm sorry about that Peter, these guys don't get cell reception where they're from, and I didn't expect them today."

"It's fine, will they stay long? Not that it matters, they're your friends and if you want, we can put out some blankets in the living room for them." Peter smiled as he poured some food in a bowl and took the kitten and set him down.

Ichigo shook his head. "They're here on business, so I don't know how long it will take. But they can speak English, so you can talk to them, but they might try to speak to you in Japanese if they forget."

Luke started to say something and Peter silenced him with a look. "That's fine, Ichigo. Um, question, ah, is Rose a guy or a girl? I just don't want to be rude and assume."

"Rose? He's a guy. Lisa is the only girl here now, but I guess Mashiro and Hiyori are going to be coming by soon. I don't know why their whole group is going to be here," Ichigo mused, looking away from them.

Peter smiled as the kitten ate enthusiastically. "Um, did you and Shinji date or something?"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at Peter. "Ah, sort of. More, um…sex friends? Why?"

"He just seemed awful intimate with you, that's all," Peter said. "Should I order pizza?"

Ichigo smiled. "Yeah, let's do that. I think they'll like to try it. I don't know that they've had it before."

Later that evening, after several large pizzas and sodas had been eaten and drank, Kensei had fallen asleep in the recliner, and Rose had fallen over on the couch in a deep sleep. Lisa and Shinji were still awake and helping pick up the garbage. Ichigo had excused himself to bed already. Shinji was putting the garbage in the bag when Peter stopped him.

"Um, Shinji? Can I talk to you a second?" he asked. "In my room, I just don't want to wake anyone."

Shinji nodded and followed him, sitting on Peter's bed and looking around the sparse room. "You don't have much more than Ichi does."

"Yeah, my girlfriend broke it off a couple months ago, that's why Ichigo became my roommate. Um, but I wanted to talk to you because of what happened…"

"He got attacked again," Shinji said, brushing his hair back.

"Um, what happened last time? He doesn't want to talk about it," Peter said, sitting beside Shinji. "I mean, I don't mean to pry, but I want to help him. I know we've only known each other for a short time, but he wouldn't press charges no matter how the police and the doctors tried."

Shinji sighed. "I…I shouldn't tell you this but I will because I think you really want to help him. It wasn't long after he left his home to go to Tokyo University, about two years ago. He'd started going to this bar called the Lotus Blossom. It was after we got together the first time, and I'd spent almost a year convincing him that our age difference didn't matter, that we could be together for real, not just for sex. He refused me every time." Shinji sighed. "It's like he thinks he doesn't deserve happiness so he has to go without. But when I pressed, he pulled away, and he started going to that bar. He swore he was safe."

Shinji bit his lip for a second and stared at the blue comforter on Peter's bed. "Then I came to visit him and his roommate said he was in the hospital. I found out he got drugged at the club, and the guys dragged him out behind the place and attacked him. He was beaten to hell, broken bones, his face was covered in bruises. He was even unconscious for a couple days due to head injury." Shinji paused. "I don't understand the laws that allowed this. He tried to 'press charges' as you put it. But the judge said there wasn't enough evidence, and they got someone to say that he was always looking for guys to sleep with, and that he liked rough sex. While that's true, anyone could see that he hadn't wanted what happened. So, nothing came of it except everyone knew. That's why when he came to New York I wasn't surprised. No one here thinks he's some sort of 'attention seeking whore' as one of the blogs read."

Peter nodded. "I see. That…that makes sense why he won't press charges now. He's afraid the same thing will happen again."

"At least it was just one, and he didn't beat the hell out of him," Shinji said. "But don't let him fool you. He's more fragile than he seems. He's one of the strongest people I know, but sometimes, that makes him even more vulnerable. I'll stay in his room with him tonight," Shinji said and headed out.

Peter sighed and glanced at the bed behind him. Luke had passed out halfway thorugh their "pizza party" and now he didn't want to wake him up. It was a good thing he had a double bed. He saw that the kitten was sleeping on Luke's chest. It stood up and stretched before jumping down and leaving. Peter sighed, lying down beside Luke and falling asleep before he knew it.

The kitten wandered after the skinny blond man. This was fascinating because he could see them. Well, he could see all of them, not just what they appeared on the outside. The kitten went into the other bedroom and jumped on the bed where the one named Ichigo was leaning against the wall.

"So why are you here?" Ichigo asked, scratching the kitten's head as he came by.

"The recent damage to the city left a lot of souls in need of konso," Shinji said as he pulled out his soul candy and popped one. He stepped away and looked back. "You, got to sleep," he told the soul now in his body. The soul nodded, lying down on the floor.

Beside him, Lisa did the same. Ichigo shook his head. "It is still weird to see you in a captain's uniform, Shinji," Ichigo said as he reached over and took his badge. He popped his hand on it and his body fell back on the bed. The kitten's head popped up as the female also stepped out of her body.

"You don't have to come," Shinji said. "You should rest."

Ichigo glared at him. "I'm fine. I would like to kill a bunch of hollows," Ichigo snarled.

"Alright, alright, come on, I sense a few souls nearby," Shinji said as he stepped up on the window and took off. Lisa followed and then Ichigo.

The kitten went to the window. It leaped impossibly high and watched as the three zipped away. He had no idea what those people were. They weren't inhumans or powered people, and they were augments. And the dress was ancient Japanese in origin. He jumped down and curled on the chest of Ichigo's body. It was as if he were dead. He frowned internally. Yawning, Loki cursed that cats had to nap so much.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Peter, the next day, had met four more of Ichigo's friends. A large, rather round man with pink hair named Hachi, a short and very angry woman named Hiyori, a big breasted girl named Mashiro, and a bigger guy with a strange afro hairstyle named Love. They were all sort of strange, and it seemed at any given time, two or three were in the apartment. He noted they weren't a problem, though. If they were there, they were sleeping most the time. Shinji had also given Peter money for the inconvenience he said. By Sunday night, though, they had to do something with the kitten. If the building maintenance or the manager came by and saw him, they could be evicted.

"So, Tony, I have a favor to ask?" Peter said. He'd already called everyone he knew, and no one could take on the responsibility of the kitten. Tony was his last hope.

"What's up, kid?" Tony asked with a smile to his voice.

Peter felt the kitten twining around his feet. "Is there any way you can take care of a kitten I found until I can get him a permanent home?"

Tony didn't speak for a minute. "A kitten?"

"Yeah, it was in the parking garage, and I found it. I took care of it over the weekend, but we can't keep it where I live," Peter said, hoping he would agree.

"I mean, I guess. I can do what I want here, I do own the place."

"Good, I'm coming into the building now," Peter said, getting out of Luke's car to go into Stark Tower.

"Wait, now?" Tony asked, surprised.

Luke got out with him, all the supplies bagged up for Tony. "Yeah," Peter said. "Sorry for short notice, but we've driven all over the city to see if anyone's family could take him. He's well behaved though."

In short order, Luke and Peter had left again, and Tony was holding the little black kitten with sparkling green eyes. He took the supplies in his room and set everything out. He then flopped onto the bed with a sigh. The kitten crawled up and sat on his chest, right on top of his scars, and stared.

"Hey, you know what, your name is Lokitty. Because you remind me of Thor's asshole brother."

The kitten flattened his ears. Tony snickered. "Ah, that's too mean. Poor bastard was under that stupid staff's control as much as he controlled everyone else with it," Tony muttered. "At least, that's my theory. Steve just thnks he was plain evil. I don't think so."

Tony started scratching and petting Lokitty and he was very appreciative of the attention, curling up and going to sleep. Tony fell asleep as well, but this night would be a bad one. He woke up at around three am, panicked and shouting in his sleep. He panted and grabbed the trash bin by the bedside and vomited. It was one of the worse ones he'd had in a long while. He looked to see Lokitty was staring at him.

"Hey, don't worry. Happens all the time. I think the one thing you never forget is being tortured," he said and rubbed his chest. "I wish I could just forget about it, and everything else that I've ever fucked up. God, my dad would be so disappointed. Not that he was ever happy with me," he muttered and turned to his side, finding sleep elusive.

Morning came, and Tony walked into the kitchen with Lokitty in his arms. Immediately, everyone wanted to know where a cat came from.

"This is Lokitty. I thought he looked like Thor's brother with the eyes. So that's his name. Peter found him and he needed a place to stay," Tony explained, grabbing coffee as he spoke.

"Is it the best idea to have a cat around all the delicate machinery around here?" Steve asked, frowning.

"It isn't like he'll be running around on my circuits, Steve," Tony muttered. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, he's fine."

Tony sat down and Natasha leaned over to scratch the kitten's head. He turned into her and purred. "Oh, he likes me!" she said with a smirk.

Steve sat down beside him but the kitten hissed at him when he got near. He frowned. Tony snickered at the sight. "I think he knows you said he wasn't supposed to be here. See, gotta be more careful, never know when you hurt someone's feelings, Cap," Tony smirked and nuzzled the kitten. "He's a great listener too."

"I always liked cats," Natasha said as she scratched his head.

Bruce came by and went to touch him, but like Steve the kitten hissed. "Ah, he probably senses the Other Guy," Bruce said as he went around and sat down with the paper.

All in all, Lokitty's first day at Avenger Tower went well. He wandered about and listened. This was so much better than waiting for them to come outside. Now he would be able to hear everything they talked about, and he'd know immediately if they were going for the staff again. He needed to find that thing so he could understand what happened to him in the void. He was left with horrific dreams that he couldn't remember, and he believed the only way to undo the damage was to get the staff again.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Ichigo heard the door and groaned as he headed to the living room. For the first time in a week, everyone except him and Peter were gone. He was beaten by Peter though, and when he got there, he saw a police officer. Peter glanced over at Ichigo. "Um, sure, come in, Officer Jackson," he said to the tall, thin man with light brown hair.

"Thank you, you were Peter, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," Peter said. "Want to come sit in the living room?" he asked.

Ichigo was a bit worried as to why the police were coming again. He'd already said he wasn't pressing the isuse. After they'd all sat down in the living room, Jackson looked between them and took out a notebook.

"I need to know where the two of you were this morning between three and six am."

Peter exchanged a look with Ichigo. He'd been out chasing down a mugger as Spider-man. "Um, well, I was asleep…"

Ichigo nodded. "Same. I went to bed early because I had a stressful day of classes yesterday. I was exhausted." Of course, Ichigo had also been out hunting hollows with Shinji and Hiyori.

"Is there any way to prove that?" Jackson asked.

Peter thought for a second. "Well, the keycard to get in should show that it hasn't been used, and they have cameras on the doors downstairs. If someone leaves, they can see it."

The office nodded. "Okay," he muttered as he jotted down notes.

"What's this about?" Ichigo asked with a frown.

"The man that attacked you at the Guilded Lily last week was found dead, throat ripped out like a wild animal had gotten to him, in the alley behind the bar. Considering that you refused to press charges, you're a suspect."

"I didn't press charges because it is useless to do so," Ichigo said with a frown. "I've been down that road, and I know what happens. I came here hoping to leave that behind."

"That?" the officer asked, staring at him.

Ichigo sighed. "A couple years ago, I was drugged and…and gang raped by these guys at a bar. I tried to press charges, but it got thrown out of court and everyone knew then what happened. I got called a lot of unflattering things, and I didn't want that again."

Officer Jackson nodded. "I can understand the reluctance to press charges in your case. But still, do you mind if I take a look around here, just to verify there's no large blood stains or anything?"

Ichigo looked to Peter who shrugged. "Sure," Peter said. "We've got nothing to hide, like I said, we were fast asleep last night."

When Jackson was done, he left, not finding anything, stating that he was going to check with building security. As soon as he was gone, Ichigo growled.

"Fucking Grimmjow," he muttered.

"You think Grimmjow did that?" Peter asked, a little frightened by the thought someoene Ichigo knew was capable of ripping a throat out.

"Long sstroy, but yeah. If anyone would do something like that, it would be that guy. But why?" Ichigo mused as he grabbed his shoes.

"Where are you going?" Peter asked.

"To see if he's hanging around outside," Ichigo said as Peter put a hand on his arm.

"Seriously? You think he's capable of ripping someone's throat out and you're going to go find him?" Peter asked with wide eyes.

"Sure?" Ichigo said and went to leave again.

Peter shook his head. "Let me go with you," he said with a sigh as he slid on his shoes. "I don't want you seeing this guy alone."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "He's not going to hurt me. If he tries, I'll gut him."

Considering Peter had seen Ichigo swing a sword, he actually believed it. They headed down and went outside. Ichigo narrowed his eyes and put his hands to his lips and yelled.

"If you're hear, come out, Grimmjow!"

Several people turned to stare, but then it was Peter's turn to gape. He actually did step out of a place behind a couple trees that lined the street. He grinned. "What is it, Ichigo?"

"Did you kill that guy?" Ichigo said as he stalked over to him. Peter ran to keep up.

"What guy?" Grimmjow asked, idly cleaning his ear with his pinky.

"The one with his throat ripped out by a wild animal. You're the only one that would do that. Why?" Ichigo said as he stopped in front of him.

Grimmjow shrugged. "I told ya I fuckin' came here for ya. And that fucker done messed with ya. So I ended him," he said and flexed his hand. "He screamed a lot. But he was sputterin' 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' before I ended him for good."

"You can't go kill people!" Ichigo hissed at him, looking around.

"I can, and will. You keep getting' these fuckers that mess with ya. I told ya I came here for ya, but ya don't believe me," Grimmjow said and crossed his arms over his chest. "Ya don't even wanna hear me out."

Ichigo's shoulders slumped. "Fuck, no more killing!" he said. "And we can talk, alright, but not today, I'm too pissed at you!"

Grimmjow smirked. "Alright. I'll come back for ya, Ichi-baby," he said as he turned on his heel and left.

Peter turned to Ichigo. "Um, you just let him leave?"

Ichigo looked after him then turned to Peter. "The police won't find him; he doesn't exist. They'll never figure out what killed that guy. And maybe the fact he's dead…makes me a little happy…" he whispered the last before he turned and went back into the apartment building.


	3. Threading the Needle

Chapter Three

Threading the Needle

"Grimmjow, why do you want to find him so bad?" Harribel had said as they sat on the sands of Hueco Mundo. The ever-present dullness was eating at the "king" of the place.

"I dunno," he'd muttered. "Stupid, just forget it."

"No," she had told him and put a hand on his arm. "You've obsessed over the Shinigami for a long time, you should do something if you feel something."

"How can I feel something? We're hollow," he muttered, placing his hands around the hole in his gut. "No heart, empty."

Hallibel had been quiet before she pulled down the collar that covered her face. Her blonde hair was longer now since they were free to do as they wanted. She still wore the revealing clothes she had for Aizen, her number three on the bottom of her breast still showing under the top. She brushed the yellow strands back and placed her darker hand on Grimmjow's.

"Perhaps one of us can learn how to feel again, and maybe the memories of the souls we've consumed will fuel it. I don't know. Maybe we can learn to not be hollow," she whispered.

So, he'd taken off for the World of the Living, opening the garganta to Karakura Town and finding the storefront that Urahara used. He found himself at sword point, of course. Grimmjow had smirked.

"You, coy ass shopkeeper, you motherfucker. Gimme one of them things you wear to walk around in," he'd demanded and Urahara had first laughed at him, then listened to him when he told him he was serious.

"I dunno why I wanna see him. I just… I can't get the fuckin' brat outta my mind, and I need to see what happens when I see 'im again. Y'know?" Grimmjow had said.

Urahara had gone silent for a long time before he spoke again, this time, all traces of joviality had gone from his face. "He's getting in trouble in some bad ways. He's gone to Tokyo for school, but there was an incident, and I think he's going to take an offer to go to America when it comes. I've arranged it with a friend of mine, to help him leave Tokyo."

Grimmjow had frowned. "What was it?"

"Ah, he got into a relationship with Shinji…"

"That Vizard with the tilted world Zanpakutou?" Grimmjow asked.

"Yeah, but Ichigo…he doesn't seem to want to stay with him, despite everything Shinji has done to keep him. It… It got complicated a couple months ago." Urahara took off his hat and ran and through his pale, blond hair. "Ah, he started going to bars, for casual sex. It turned bad when he was drugged and beaten by a trio of young men. One is a son of a Yakuza Oyabun; the other two are his best friends. Ichigo charged them, but the judge… He was bought by the Oyabun, and the case was dismissed. The three men are in the same school as Ichigo, Tokyo University, and spread rumors about him. He's been… ah, miserable since then."

"What the fuck did these three guys beat him for?" Grimmjow asked.

"He turned the Oyabun's son when he approached him for sex. He didn't take no well."

"You mean they…" Grimmjow had trouble believing this.

"Drugging him did the trick for them, but Hachi healed him up after he got out of the hospital. He hasn't come back home since, though. I checked in on him, and found since the encounter, his visits to these bars for casual encounters have only increased to near weekly. He is engaging in a very risky lifestyle for a human, and he has gotten reckless as a Shinigami. Hachi's already had to come see to him two other times after a hollow did major damage to him," Urahara sighed with almost a defeated look. "He's utterly self-destructive. That's why I've contacted an American friend to see if he can't be taken there. Perhaps a new situation will help."

Grimmjow left, asking Urahara to make him a gigai. He was going to find out just what the fuck was going on with him. He ended up finding him, and watched for a while. He did just as Urahara had said. He'd go to a bar on the weekends and end up leaving with some random seeming guy. Sometimes they'd be pawing him, others he'd be drunk and hanging off them, but either way, it was obvious what they were doing. For some reason, it pissed him off. Finally, he had gone back and got his Gigai, only to return right back to Tokyo again, but this time he was looking for the fuckers that had attacked Ichigo. He figured out how to dye his hair and colored it black. He had tailed Ichigo several nights until one night, he found himself watching this guy walk up and drop something in his drink as he looked at a second guy who came up. Grimmjow had figured out real quick what that was because half an hour later, Ichigo had stood up and nearly fell to his knees. So that was what the drug did that he'd been dosed with. The two guys that had tag-teamed him started to lead him out and into the alley behind the place, but this time, Grimmjow followed them.

"Ya sure this is the one, Senpai?" one of the ones practically dragging Ichigo asked another guy standing in the alley.

"That's him. Ain't it?" he said, smirking and glancing at the two guys that were flanking him.

"Yeah, that's him."

The one on the right was short with dyed green hair, the one on the left tall, lean and black haired. The middle one had short, spiked hair with an undercut and piercings all over his face. There was a tattoo crawling up his neck from his t-shirt collar. The two that had doped Ichigo were both wearing t-shirts and jeans, and were a few years younger than these three. They looked a bit more respectable, Grimmjow supposed. They were both black haired with clean cut looks. All three of these older guys had goatees. They looked like assholes to Grimmjow.

The one in the middle stepped up and lifted Ichigo's head up and smirked. "Hey baby, you were so fun last time, thought we'd come back again. Still can't believe that cut I gave you don't your face didn't scar…"

That had been it for Grimmjow. These were the guys that had attacked him and now, they'd pay.

"Yo." He'd walked right into the alley. He glanced at the two younger ones. "If ya don't want to die before tonight's over, I'd suggest you get the fuck out of here."

They both scrambled to get away, dropping Ichigo's arms. He had crumbled to the ground, obviously unable to stand.

"Who the hell are you?" the middle one said. "Do you know who I am?" he stated and moved up toward Grimmjow. The other two pulled knives and came up.

Grimmjow had just nodded, smirking. "Yeah. Don't give a fuck. You see him? He's mine." Grimmjow thumbed toward Ichigo's form. He was completely unconsciously. "He don't know it yet, but that's the way it is. In fact, even if he never accepts me, I'll still take care of him, cuz he's still mine even if he's with someone else. So yer gonna have a choice. Leave him, or die."

The guy laughed and lunged toward Grimmjow with a butterfly knife at the same time the other two moved. These guys weren't in this for a fair fight, but then, neither was Grimmjow. He easily swung the other two into each other, watching with a grin as they ended up stabbing each other when they slammed together. The remaining guy tried to run but Grimmjow grabbed him by the hair and yanked him backward. He slammed him into the ground then straddled his chest, pinning him easily. He ripped off a piece of the guy's t-shirt and shoved it in his mouth, then used his own belt to tie his hands together. He smirked and slowly began to rip out every piercing in the guy's face. Then, he leaned over and whispered into the weeping man's ear.

"You fuck with what's mine, I kill you. That's all there is to it, fucker," he muttered before grasping his neck and hearing a satisfying crack.

Grimmjow had gone and picked up Ichigo and found his way back to his house. He left him in his bed and then took off again, but he still watched and twice more he put a stop to someone messing with him. Luckily, no more murders. A firm punch to the gut seemed to deter most shit-heads.

Then, he was gone. He left for America and Grimmjow had to get Urahara's help going. When he'd gotten there, he was too late to stop the first one. But tonight, tonight he was going to put a stop to Ichigo's habit for good.

The bar was named Carmella's Thirst and it was incredibly busy. He pushed his way into the place and spotted Ichigo easily. He was downing shots of something one after another. Grimmjow snorted as he watched the man, a blond guy with a beard and flannel shirt, rest his hand on Ichigo's ass and order another round. Grimmjow wasn't going to do this anymore. He stalked up and grabbed this asshole's hand and yanked it away, meeting his blue eyes with his own cerulean ones. Ichigo turned to see what was going on behind him.

"Grimmjow?" he exclaimed, frowning and staring at him. "The fuck are you doing in here? Leave, I'm having fun with Jake here."

"No, yer fuckin' going home is what yer doin'," Grimmjow said and grabbed Ichigo's wrist and pulled him off the barstool. He flagged down the bartender. "Yo, close him out and gimme his card."

Ichigo was trying to extract his hand, but Grimmjow had made sure to have Urahara 'enhance' his Gigai so he could handle Ichigo in his human body with ease. There had been a long discussion of how to deal with the stubborn streak Ichigo had.

Jake decided to try and intervene. "Hey, man, he's not wanting to leave yet. Let him have some fun."

Grimmjow took the card from the bartender who was giving Grimmjow that knowing smirk. He knew what Grimmjow was doing. He turned and glared at Jake, ignoring Ichigo's fingernails prying at the flesh on his hand. He could feel the Gigai bleeding already.

"Step back, motherfucker. He's not staying here and getting drunk enough to let you fuck him, so move on. I'm taking him home to sober his stubborn ass up and put him to bed where he belongs," Grimmjow growled and pulled on Ichigo's arm. Ichigo tried to dig his heels in, but his power was less than Grimmjow's.

"What the fuck did… Urahara did this, didn't he?" he growled, finally realizing that the Gigai was stronger than him. "You set this up with him so you could manhandle me!"

Grimmjow sighed, dragging him toward a cab, and pushing him into it. He was fast enough to catch him before he slid out the other door.

"No, you don't," he groused, grabbing his hand again, sliding him almost into his lap. Ichigo grumbled under his breath and turned away, refusing to look at him.

Once at the apartment, Grimmjow led him in, waiting for him to use his keycard and took him straight to his bedroom. He shoved him down on the bed and stepped back, crossing his arms and glaring at him.

"What the fuck?" Ichigo snapped and crossed his arms over his chest. "I was well on the way to getting laid."

"Um hum. I know. Not gonna happen anymore."

"Why? I can do whatever the hell I want!" he snapped.

Grimmjow shook his head, hearing the door open and close. He guessed the roommate was home. Well, whatever, he had a feeling he'd hear most of this. "Because I'm not fucking going to keep playing beat the shit out of whoever tries to jump your dumb ass! Or tries to drug you! Or whatever! I'm done with it! I fuckin' took care of that bastard and his men in Tokyo, and I took care of that asshole here."

"Took care of…you killed him too?" Ichigo asked, eyes widening and looking shocked. "When?"

"You wouldn't remember, you were drugged off your damn ass because he and his boys were gonna have a go at you again. I took you home, left you there. You didn't know shit that was happening," Grimmjow snarled.

Ichigo was quiet for a second. "That night I got home and didn't remember it, and I was sick the next day…" he muttered. "Why are you killing people?"

Grimmjow could hear breathing near the door, so he knew that the guy Peter was listening. Considering the door wasn't closed, he had a feeling he was gonna get a show too. "Because yer fuckin' mine, that's why. Yer the only one I couldn't beat in a fight, and yer the only one worthy of my attention. So I don't give a fuck what you decide, don't accept it, whatever, but I ain't letting you put yourself on the line. You want to be fucked so bad? I'll take care of it, no strings if ya want, but at least I'll know no asshole is going to rape you again!"

Ichigo's breath had quickened and goddamn Grimmjow was hard in his jeans. All this fighting with him was getting him going. He reached in his pocket and popped the pill that would push him from his Gigai and stepped out of it. Urahara had given him a blank soul to put in it. The Gigai looked alive but catatonic. He shoved it to the ground and moved on Ichigo, shoving him down by his shoulders. "Get out of that body and I'll fuckin' prove why ya don't need to go lookin' elsewhere, Kurosaki."

Ichigo's eyes followed down his chest to the hollow hole to the large, really large, bulge in the Arrancar's loose hakama. He swallowed thickly, reaching out and pulling on the obi to loosen it and then yanking it loose all the way. When his hakama slid off his hips, Ichigo's mouth went significantly dry. He wasn't kidding.

"Oh…wow…" he muttered. "You… ah… that's a lot."

"Um hum. Fuckin' king material, remember?" Grimmjow growled. "But I ain't fuckin' a human, so drop the body."

Ichigo fumbled on the side table and grabbed his badge, tapping it and sitting up out of his body in his shihakuso. "Why…why should I just not skewer you?" he whispered as he stood up and pushed his body over beside the one Grimmjow had just vacated.

"Cuz I can't fuck ya," he muttered and grabbed Ichigo by the shoulders and threw him to the bed. "I understand yer a bit of a masochist," he confirmed as he ripped the kusodo off his shoulders and tossed it. He reached around in front and undid the obi and slipped the hakama off his hips to let them slide to the floor. He reached back and slapped him hard enough to leave a bright red print on his ass. Ichigo yelped, turning and staring at him but Grimmjow smirked.

"Tell me to stop if ya don't' want me to go on," he said as he slid his hand down and buried three fingers in his twitching hole at once. Ichigo gasped, feeling it burn and stretch. In his soul form, though, it wouldn't take long to return to normal even if he did tear him. And by the size of Grimmjow's cock, he might even with all the preparation in the world.

"Do it," Ichigo growled, grinding back on his hand.

A pause and he felt another stinging slap on his ass, this time the other side. "Ah, the fuck?"

"Shut up, I'm in charge here," Grimmjow snarled and continued to finger fuck him harder and harder, until Ichigo felt an orgasms slam into him. He panted into his arms as Grimmjow leaned over and whispered in his ear. "You fuckin cum from fingers? Or is it me being rough with you? What a fuckin' slut you are," he growled and then flipped Ichigo to his back.

Ichigo looked at him, panting as Grimmjow pushed his legs up and then lined himself with him. Grimmjow rubbed his dripping cock against him, but it was really not necessary. His vigorous fingering had opened him up enough to make entering easy even without extra lubrication. He then slammed forward. Ichigo let out a noise somewhere between a yelp and a groan of pleasure at the pain that shot through him.

"So…so… deep," he whispered as he felt him still pushing forward. He wasn't even all the way in. "More," he growled, knowing that his soul form especially could take it.

Grimmjow arched a brow, sliding the rest of the way until he was fully seated inside him. He actually hadn't thought he'd get all the way in. He could feel Ichigo's body twitching and quivering around his cock. It was hot and as he pulled back, he slammed up. He smirked because he could see his stomach bulge when he seated himself all the way inside.

Ichigo was debauched, and that was the only way to describe it. He moved his hands to feel his stomach, feeling the hardness buried there. That had never happened before, but Grimmjow's fucking cock had to be the biggest one he'd ever seen. The damn thing had to be nine inches or more, and thicker than any dildo he'd ever used.

"Tell me, Ichi-go, you like it?" Grimmjow emphasized each syllable by pulling halfway back and then thrusting into him. He was bent over him now, hands planted by his head.

"Y-yes…oh kami. Fuck… harder, fuck me," he gasped, reaching up and gripping Grimmjow's forearms where they rested by his head.

"Nah," Grimmjow said, sliding all the way in and pausing.

"What… What are you doing?" Ichigo gasped out. "Don't… Don't just stop!"

"Yer gonna promise me not to go out to those places again. Yer gonna be mine, and only mine, from now on. I'll fuck ya anytime ya want, anywhere, even in that human body with the Gigai. Trust me, it's well equipped too. But you belong to me, got it? And if anyone dares touch you, I'll rip their fuckin throat out," Grimmjow said, thrusting just barely enough to tease him. "My fat cock belongs to ya, and no one else, too."

"Okay, yeah, fine, just… Just fuck me, kami, just fuck me like you're tryin' to fuckin' kill me…"

Grimmjow smirked and began to set a ruthless rhythm. He felt Ichigo go over at least three times before he was ready to go over the edge the first time. There was a complete mess on Ichigo's stomach, and Grimmjow hadn't touched him at all. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Ichigo's back and then flipping them so he was sitting on the end of the bed. The back of the door had a mirror on it, and now that Grimmjow was facing it, he saw they were indeed being watched. He winked at Peter who was staring through the sliver in the door, transfixed. Even being noticed, Peter hadn't moved. Grimmjow turned Ichigo around so he was facing the mirror and he tried to turn back.

"Nah, watch, look," he growled in his ear as he spread his legs out and grasped both of Ichigo's legs under the knees. Using his arms, he lifted him up and down on his cock, giving a spectacular view of where they were connected. "That's where we're one, from now on, I'm the only one who sees this. And just in case," he muttered as he sniffed at Ichigo's neck before clamping his teeth into Ichigo's neck near the juncture with his shoulder. He tightened his grip and felt Ichigo's nails dig into his arms as he began slamming up into him as he worked his arms until he found himself tipping over the edge, shooting a load into the quivering flesh around him. Ichigo came right then and there, throwing his head back with a low groan.

Flipping him around, Grimmjow turned him to face him as he hardened again inside him and he could already feel Ichigo's cock hard between them. "You're enjoying it," he hissed in Ichigo's ear before he started licking the deep bite wound he'd left. He'd infused it with Reiatsu as well. That wound wouldn't ever go away, at least the scar would remain, and anyone that sensed reiatsu would know who Ichigo's partner was.

After almost another hour, Ichigo had passed out on the bed and Grimmjow was completely spent. He was sure he hadn't done that much fucking in two hundred years. At some point, Ichigo's roommate Peter had left the door, but no doubt the sounds had traveled since he hadn't shut it either. He got up and got the shower ready before going back and grabbing Ichigo. He was heavily asleep but as soon as the water hit him he woke with a start.

"Hush, I'll clean you up, don't worry," Grimmjow said in a surprisingly gentle ton as he took a soapy rag and washed Ichigo's chest and back.

He worked his way around all of him, pausing perhaps a little longer than necessary with his fingers cleaning him out on the inside until he made him orgasm again in the shower. He smirked, realizing how sensitive Ichigo was. He wrapped him up and then took him back to get his shihakuso back on and back into his body. Grimmjow got into his Gigai and then stripped the clothes off that, and helped Ichigo strip himself before he pulled Ichigo into the bed with him.

"Why?" Ichigo whispered finally as Grimmjow curled behind him, one hand threading through his hair, and the other resting against Ichigo's bare belly. "Why are you so insistent?"

"Because I feel something and I don't get it, alright? Never felt something because we don't have hearts and we're hollow. But when I think of you, I feel something," he answered. "And when someone hurts you, I want to murder them in the worst ways, that's why."

Ichigo was quiet for a while. "One condition. You can't just murder people, okay? And Urahara has to help get you an identity so you can stay with me without people getting suspicious."

"Alright, that's fine. And no more random guys?" Grimmjow's grip tightened on him. "I mean, is my cock enough for your slutty ass? The way you were sucking me in, I think you liked it."

Grimmjow could feel his face heat under his hands when he brushed one over his cheek. "Yeah, okay, but you have to act like a real boyfriend, okay?"

"How do I do that?" Grimmjow asked, frowning. He only knew about fucking and taking care of someone. What else was there?

"I don't know how to explain it, ask Peter or something, I'm exhausted and your big fuckin' cock made my soul form so sore I'm starting to feel it in my human body. We do it with this body, you're using a lot of lube because you'll break me."

Grimmjow nuzzled into the back of Ichigo's neck. "Yeah, I know. Good thing Shinigami are tough," he muttered.

Grimmjow wasn't going to tell him, but he thought Ichigo was the toughest Shinigami he knew, and the toughest being. That's why Ichigo was the only one that could be with him. He wanted the best, the strongest, and that was Ichigo.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

"Lokitty, you're stuck to me lately," Tony said as he wandered through the tower again with the black kitten on his heels. He paused and picked him up, smiling as the kitten snuggled into his chest. "Come on, buddy. We have some work to do in the shop, so stay out of anything that will hurt you. I've got a ton of things to do today."

Loki had been a cat in the Avengers Tower for two months now. In that time, he'd figured out a lot of things and there were other things he wanted to know, mostly about Tony. Tony was a genius, but he was also very put upon by everyone around him. He was constantly doing projects for the others and never being thanked for them. He also did things for the US government and helped his company do philanthropic works. Now, as December came on, he was planning a big talk at the school that Peter Parker went to. Along with that, he kept up on his suits, making more and more of them as he watched, and improving the technology every chance he got.

Loki had curled beside Tony where he sat on the floor working on one of the suit's repulsors. There was a knock at the door and Tony waved over his shoulder. "What?" he asked.

"Tony, what are you doing?" Steve had been the one to enter.

"What's it look like, Cap? Fixing this, so I don't, you know, die, while looking for the glowstick of destiny and all," He muttered. Loki perked his ears and gave Tony his attention. The staff.

"We have a lead on the staff at a hydra facility, so suit up," he said and turned to leave.

Tony narrowed his eyes. "He could have just called over the com. Whatever, stick up the butt ice man," he muttered as he went to get ready.

Loki sat and watched as they took off and then he had to wonder. Why was Tony so unhappy? It was quite obvious to him that he had only gone out of obligation. What would he do if they did bring back the staff? He'd noticed that Tony didn't have the arc reactor anymore, so maybe he could control him.

No. He stopped himself. He wouldn't do that. He couldn't. He'd already had it used on him, and he'd done terrible things. He wouldn't do it to someone else again, especially not Tony. Tony was quickly becoming the most important thing in his life. The black cat stopped, sitting on the boot of this suit and wondered why that was.

Several hours later, Loki woke to hear someone in the room. "Where is it, where is it… Tony where did you keep it?" he heard Natasha say.

Loki moved around and hopped up on the table and mewed at her. She looked and he could see she was crying. "Lokitty, you don't know where Tony's test batch of the nanites is?"

Walking over to the third table, Loki sat on it and pawed at the top drawer. Natasha opened it and pulled out the vial. "This is it, here, you helped find it, maybe you can help him feel better," she said and snatched Loki up. Despite annoyance at being manhandled, Loki allowed it. They came to the med-bay where Bruce was doing something.

Natasha put him down on the bio-bed and Loki realized Tony had been injured. "Let me have them," Bruce demanded and then injected the nanites into Tony. "I just hope they work. The damage to his heart is severe. To be hit just right. His heart isn't strong enough to withstand that kind of thing. Wait, why's the cat here?" he asked.

Loki hissed and crawled up to sit on Tony's chest. Bruce just stared as he walked right into the mass of bloody tissue and a green glow appeared around the black cat. There was a second and a pulse that sent the green color throughout Tony's body. When it receded, Loki had fallen asleep on the now healed chest.

"What was that?" Bruce gasped.

"The cat is magic?" Natasha whispered, stroking his head.

In his sleep, Tony reached up and clutched Lokitty and sighed.


End file.
